Palestinian Civil Society Rejects EU’s Conditional Funding
WEST BANK (Dispatches) – Palestinian civil society organizations have formed a national campaign that rejects the European Union’s conditional funding based its so-called "anti-terror clause”.
The stipulation, which was included in EU grant proposals late last year, identifies at least seven Palestinian political parties as "terrorist groups”, and calls for Palestinian civil society organizations to vet individuals to ensure they are not affiliated with such parties.
However, these organizations have described these conditions as "criminalizing” the Palestinian national struggle against the Zionist regime’s occupation.
"The EU’s imposition of the clause and restrictive measures constitutes the criminalization of the Palestinian liberation struggle and its freedom fighters based on Western criteria and standards,” said Lubnah Shomali, the spokeswoman for the anti-EU conditional funding campaign.
"It does not take into consideration the legal status of Palestine under international law - as a country and a people facing oppression and a foreign colonial domination.”
According to Article 1.5 of Annex II listed in the "General conditions applicable to European Union-financed grant contracts for external actions”, several Palestinian factions - including Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – are allegedly listed as ‘terrorist’ groups or entities on the EU’s sanctions list.
The clause also calls on civil organizations to screen individuals involved in projects based on the EU Restrictive Measures - which have been denounced by the Palestinian national campaign as being forced to play the role of a "security accomplice against its people”.
This will create a situation in which recipient organizations are forced to determine who can and cannot benefit or participate in EU-funded projects, Shomali told Al Jazeera.
"Such policing actions fall under the purview of states and government agencies, not civil organizations,” she said, adding the credibility of Palestinian organizations will suffer in terms of their relationship with civil society.
Hanan Hussein, who works with the Bisan Center for Research and Development, said signing the so-called ‘anti-terrorist clause’ represents an agreement with the EU position.
"The vetting process includes banning anyone involved in a potential project that was ever arrested by Israel,” Hussein said.
"This is completely devoid of the context of our reality, which is living under an Israeli occupation. Are we, as civil society organizations that work for the betterment of Palestinian society, supposed to vet everyone who has been arrested by Israel?”
The stipulation, which was included in EU grant proposals late last year, identifies at least seven Palestinian political parties as "terrorist groups”, and calls for Palestinian civil society organizations to vet individuals to ensure they are not affiliated with such parties.
However, these organizations have described these conditions as "criminalizing” the Palestinian national struggle against the Zionist regime’s occupation.
"The EU’s imposition of the clause and restrictive measures constitutes the criminalization of the Palestinian liberation struggle and its freedom fighters based on Western criteria and standards,” said Lubnah Shomali, the spokeswoman for the anti-EU conditional funding campaign.
"It does not take into consideration the legal status of Palestine under international law - as a country and a people facing oppression and a foreign colonial domination.”
According to Article 1.5 of Annex II listed in the "General conditions applicable to European Union-financed grant contracts for external actions”, several Palestinian factions - including Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – are allegedly listed as ‘terrorist’ groups or entities on the EU’s sanctions list.
The clause also calls on civil organizations to screen individuals involved in projects based on the EU Restrictive Measures - which have been denounced by the Palestinian national campaign as being forced to play the role of a "security accomplice against its people”.
This will create a situation in which recipient organizations are forced to determine who can and cannot benefit or participate in EU-funded projects, Shomali told Al Jazeera.
"Such policing actions fall under the purview of states and government agencies, not civil organizations,” she said, adding the credibility of Palestinian organizations will suffer in terms of their relationship with civil society.
Hanan Hussein, who works with the Bisan Center for Research and Development, said signing the so-called ‘anti-terrorist clause’ represents an agreement with the EU position.
"The vetting process includes banning anyone involved in a potential project that was ever arrested by Israel,” Hussein said.
"This is completely devoid of the context of our reality, which is living under an Israeli occupation. Are we, as civil society organizations that work for the betterment of Palestinian society, supposed to vet everyone who has been arrested by Israel?”